Yesterday’s TV Debate – with apologies to chickens …

‘Tis the last full week of campaigning – and thank God for that. There’s one piece of Brexit ‘promise’ this morning but otherwise our dear politicians, fighting so hard for our votes, were only united in slapping slogans round each other’s heads. That we’re now ruled by a new set of unelected EU ‘presidents’ went totally by the wayside. 

Only our friends at Facts4EU reported this rather important fact, publishing the names and faces of them all. One would have thought that at least our Remain MSM would have published their names because they, after all, will rule us should we Remain – but no.

In other news Ms Priti Patel has penned an article for the DT, about rules she proposes to implement after Brexit. While RemainCentral labels this as an ‘attempt to shift the debate to immigration’, normal voters know it for a desperate attempt at vote-winning. You can see her proposals in this non-paywalled report, here’s a quote from The Times:

“In a move to shift the election debate on to immigration the Tories will outline plans to make all visitors to Britain receive additional security clearance before they travel. There is expected to be a charge for the checks, similar to the American ESTA system. This requires visitors to gain clearance to enter the country three days before their arrival or be turned back at the airport.” (link, paywalled)

Next we read that this is what the EU will do after Brexit:

“The European Union is expected to introduce a similar scheme in 2021, meaning that after Brexit all travellers between Britain and Europe will face additional scrutiny and costs. […] Ms Patel said: “The consequence of EU laws limiting our border capability is brought home to me every day. It is a sad fact that drugs and guns reach our streets from Europe, fuelling violence and addiction. And most shockingly of all, we know that terrorists have been able to enter the country by exploiting free movement. After Brexit we will take steps to strengthen our border and improve the security of the UK.” (link, paywalled)

All well and good, especially as Mr Corbyn’s Remain ‘deal’ will keep the ‘free movement’. It’s certainly interesting to note that even the EU believes their current system of allowing free movement to all who have an ID – not a passport – is a ‘free charter’ for terrorists:

“The European Commission warned last year that “weak security features of ID cards in some Member States, still issuing paper ID cards, represent a serious security risk, as they can easily be falsified and could be used by terrorists and other criminals to enter in the EU”.” (paywalled link)

As always: look for what is not being said. There’s not one word about beefing up maritime patrols to stop  all those ‘Iranians’ from landing on our beaches in rubber dinghies. There’s not one word about sending them back to countries across the Channel. The invisible war raging in France, Belgium and the Netherlands must be terrible indeed for us to kindly take in these “refugees”.

But don’t think you can catch out Labour and Corbyn with arguments like that. He’s shifting his laser-like focus on spending more of our money in a gift to rail travellers:

“[He] plans to cut regulated fares by 33 percent in January, which it claims will save the average commuter more than £1,000 annually. The discount will apply to roughly 45 percent of fares, including season tickets and those purchased at peak times. Children aged 16 and under would also receive free rail travel, while part time workers will be guaranteed “fair” fares which cost no more per journey than weekly or season tickets. The announcement is part of Labour’s wider plan to renationalise the rail network, which the party says will result in “simpler and more affordable” fares.” (paywalled link)

Not content with that, Corbyn proposes a new programme for NATO, in the run-up to the Summit this week:

“Speaking ahead of this week’s Nato summit, Mr Corbyn said the group should engage more with Russia and focus on tackling global inequality. “In Nato, we will work for the alliance to reduce tensions in Europe and beyond,” he said. “That should be the focus of this week’s Nato summit in London. “President Macron is right to press the case for a change of direction in Nato policy, including the need to de-escalate conflict with Russia and a wider perspective on the most serious threats to our common security.” (paywalled link)

That M Macron is the main proponent of installing a EU Army – well, never mind that! Corbyn, who must know this, obviously is already cosying up to the EU wannabe Napoleon, in a clear signal of what his ‘better deal’ will contain: a kowtow to France. Many voters who have watched Corbyn on his TV outings know that Corbyn does not love our country. That’s why he’s happy to sell us out.

Meanwhile, watching TV for us and publishing video clips, The Express, reports that the polling guru John Curtice warns that Labour is getting closer to the Tories because they are now ‘squeezing’ the LibDem Remain vote (here). This is interesting and worrying at the same time when we look at this report in the DM where it is claimed that Labour might send the most left-wing candidates into the new HoC:

“Analysis has found as many as 80 Labour candidates standing at next month’s election who were either backed by Momentum branches in selection fights, are Momentum activists themselves or have got Momentum teams out campaigning for them to unseat top Tories. In a dozen constituencies they are inheriting majorities of more than 10,000 and so are all but certain to take their places in the Commons. Even if Labour is unable to win an overall majority or form a coalition, the hard-Left intake can still espouse their extreme views in Parliament and try to block Conservative laws. […] Some moderates suspect Momentum is focusing its campaigning efforts in areas where its favoured candidates are standing, rather than defending marginal seats.” (link)

Despite claims by all involved that this is the Brexit election, that report indicates that for Labour it is about making socialism in this country happen. Corbyn is the nice, gramps-like figurehead who will be replaced by out-and-out socialists, regardless of the outcome of the GE. You have been warned …!

And finally –  what was on telly yesterday. There was not just Johnson on the Marr show which by all accounts was a disgrace – for Marr. There was also yet another ‘Leaders debate’ on ITV. This was interesting and watch-worthy because one of the leaders was Nigel Farage. Lab and Con were ‘represented’ by figures from their 2nd team – Burgon for Labour, Sunak for the Tories. Before I report on this “debate”, here’s a sad footnote on the terrorist attack, something the ‘leaders’ decided not to talk about because this should not be made into a ‘political playball’:

“Jack Merritt, the first victim of the London Bridge attack to be named, is believed to have worked with Khan when the terrorist was imprisoned at the high-security HMP Whitemoor. […] It has emerged that Khan, who was shot dead by police on Friday, was seen as a success story of Learning Together, which Mr Merritt worked for. He was used as a case study by the initiative to highlight its work with ex-offenders. Staff members even took part in a 10km run to raise money to buy Khan a computer on his release so he could continue writing, despite stringent bail conditions that prevented him from using the internet.” (paywalled link)

Sad, and deeply worrying, this. In the debate, only Nigel Farage dared to point out the poisonous connection to jihad. The others … well …. It was all the fault of ‘Toree Austeritee’, innit.

Generally, we were treated to another instance of the political top hens ‘debating’, i.e. talking above everybody else and in some cases screeching over each other: Ms Sturgeon and Ms Swinson were joined by Ms Berry for the Greens.

It was tedious beyond belief. The only one who was head and shoulders above this ghastly fry was Nigel Farage. As usual, the others ganged up on him, Ms Swinson setting the agenda by declaring that Farage and Johnson are one and the same. Towards the end the hens warned of a Trump-Jonson-Farage UK. You couldn’t make it up. A friend who was watching pointed out that this rather than the previous accusations of Farage being a racist and a Nazi was the latest attempt to smear him. At least we were spared the hens’ group-hug …

We had everything, from ‘selling the NHS to Trump to ‘Teh BuS’. You have to hand it to Farage, love him or loathe him: he knows that it’s not about scoring points over his co-debatees or the audience but about addressing the nation’s watchers. That’s what he did, to perfection. And that is also why this debate has been consigned to the back pages of the MSM: his name is anathema, he must not be mentioned.

Later this week he and Ms Swinson will get their ‘Andrew Neil treatment’ – that will be worth watching. Meanwhile, and as always,

KBO!